Lutnick's Bitcoin Buying Strategy: A Conflict of Interest for Commerce Secretary

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has publicly stated that he buys Bitcoin on every price dip. This stance is noteworthy, given his position and the hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin he holds personally. He made this statement in February 2025.

Lutnick led Cantor Fitzgerald, a financial services firm expanding its crypto-related operations before joining the administration. His appointment to Commerce was seen as a signal that the Trump administration intended to be pro-crypto at the policy level.

The establishment of the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in March 2025 changed the equation for how the government treats Bitcoin. This reserve now holds Bitcoin like gold, rather than liquidating it quickly, and is managed by Lutnick and the Treasury Secretary.